Practice Test and Day of Redemption

     When I think that I started writing as a way to express my thoughts on the things God reveals to me through the small happenings in my daily life, it kinda scared me when I noticed I hadn’t written anything in over two weeks. Has it really been that long since God spoke to me?! Of course not. It’s just that I've been soooo busy!  Sometimes my mind gets soooo overwhelmed that God finds other ways to get my attention.
     It’s the end of the school year and my son’s math teacher had given the class a practice test to determine what they needed to focus on before the real test. He had missed quite a few, and we were working them out to make sure he understood how to get the right answers. After we had done several problems, he says, "I sure am glad this was just the practice test and not the real one." I asked him why. He said, "Because I wouldn’t have done so good." After the week I’d had, that really hit home.
     My goal had been to finish my "spring cleaning" by the first of May because that starts about three months of non-stop go-go-go for me. There are school band concerts, awards days, graduations, field days, and other end-of-the-year activities. There are birthdays, birthday parties, family cookouts, family reunions. There’s Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, and decorations at four different cemeteries. We have Vacation Bible School, the church trip to Gatlinburg, and the much needed week at the beach to plan for. This year Dylan is going to two bible camps and a summer camp. Plus this year we have added a bridal shower and a wedding, and all the pregnant women I know are having their babies this summer. Somewhere in there I also have a full-time job, laundry to wash, meals to cook, shopping to do, and errands to run. I would like to say I handled all this by keeping my cool and displaying much grace. Uh, wrong!
     When my brain has a task to complete, it goes into overdrive and doesn’t stop until it either burns out, gives up or reaches a solution. I spent more than a few restless nights. Then God reminded me of my remedy for these times. I made a lunch date with a pen and paper and got all my ideas written down.  The list was made and I now had a plan to proceed. I realized that everything on my calendar was put there by none other than yours truly. A lot of those "appointments" were there because that’s what I felt like I needed to do or was just what I’d always done. I was really feeling the affects of self-induced stress. So I got online - vacation reservations confirmed - camp enrollment forms printed - decoration flowers bought. Zzzzzzzzzzzzzz!
     I couldn't believe what happened next!  Our awesome God gave me not one, but two opportunities- in the same day mind you - to redeem myself !
     It was a typical day at our office, appointments booked every thirty minutes, clients coming in with information for their file, and the occasional person wandering in off the street looking for some quick legal advice. I don’t know who the woman was or where she came from, but she struck a chord with all who were in the office right then. She first told her story to my co-worker, who in turn asked me to see if I could help her. She said her father had passed away that morning in New York, and she was doing odd jobs around town trying to raise the money to pay for her bus ticket to get there. She was $17.00 short. It was after 4:00 in the afternoon, and her bus was scheduled to leave at 5:15. She was about six months pregnant and so far that day she had washed dishes, done some yard/housework, and even changed a flat tire on someone’s vehicle. With her greasy hands, she laid a baggie on my counter with some bead bracelets and some silver charms she was trying to sell. She promised that if I helped her she would be back on Friday to repay me.
     Now we hear a lot of "sob stories" in our line of work, and have become somewhat able to determine the legitimates from the drama queens. Unfortunately, we have also become immune to a lot of it.  But this woman telling her story had me practically in tears by the time she finished. I bent down and got what cash I could find in my purse - a whole $7.00. I handed it to her, apologized for not having more, and told her she most definitely did not have to pay me back. A lady waiting in our lobby had overheard and seen the entire conversation, and also pulled out some cash and gave it the woman - $11.00 I think - and told her the same thing. The look on the woman’s face was pure appreciation - and shock that we hadn’t made her sweep the floor or clean the windows in return for the money.
     I guess it’s possible this woman could have simply been out begging for money to go do who-knows-what with, but I don’t think so. She didn’t look like a "junkie," she didn’t sound like she was intoxicated or influenced in any way. And I don’t think I would have been moved to such a degree if she had not been telling the truth. At any rate, I was only out $7.00 and, as the saying goes, if she can live with it, I can live without it. If I don’t have enough Christian love in me to give somebody a measly $7.00 when they appear to have a sincere need, then I don’t deserve to call myself a Christian.
     Later that evening, I had to make a quick run to the store for a few things. I was waiting in line at the checkout while the cashier finished with the customer ahead of me, when I overhead my cashier ask the cashier at the next register if she had anything for heartburn. I knew I had one heartburn pill in my purse and automatically got it ready to hand her when it was my turn to pay. She began ringing up my things, and I reached over and handed her the packet with the medicine. She gave a sigh of relief and thanked me profusely. I explained that I could sympathize with her pain and was happy to help.  In the back of my mind I was hoping we wouldn't get in trouble by the all-seeing eyes who may have misunderstood what was going on.  But I was able to leave the store without incident.
     So, like my son, I didn’t do so hot on the practice test. I apologize to all my loyal followers (ha!ha!) for not writing before now. You can rest assured, God has not stopped talking. He just has to get a little creative to get through all the chaos that is my mind. Sometimes he even has to physically stand in front of me to get me to pay attention. I’m so glad God gives us second chances...and third...and fourth...and one hundredth!